Where to Get the Best Cheese Pizza in Memphis

September 3, 2019

If you know me but at all, you know I LOVE pizza. And not just any pizza, cheese pizza is my jam. I heavily identify with Kevin McAlister from Home Alone – the best Christmas movie there ever was – and decided to figure out what pizza I’d want to be served to me in my limo ride. So, I set out to find the best cheese pizza in Memphis.

People love to tease me for having such a basic preference. I get it. Cheese pizza is pretty simple. However, since it is so simple, I think it one of the best ways to judge a pizzeria. If they can’t master cheese pizza – which is literally the base of most pizzas, then they probably aren’t churning out high-quality za.

Best Cheese Pizza in Memphis

After trying several local pizza places, I’ve come up with the five that make the best cheese pizza in Memphis. There are certainly other great places, but these are my picks. If you have a suggestion for one that is better, let me know + I’ll try it (or dash your hopes by telling you I already have).

High Point Pizza

I don’t want to be an alarmist, but not only is this the best cheese pizza in Memphis, but it is also the best cheese pizza I have ever had! Located in a tiny shopping center in the High Point neighborhood, this joint isn’t much to look at, but it has so much flavor. This New York-style pizza has the most buttery and garlic crust, but it isn’t overpowering. It has a good amount of sauce, enough to please both the sauce lover and the sauce averse. Like most good New York pizza, it’s a little greasy but it is so, so worth it. Run, don’t walk to try it!

Aldo’s Pizza

You can’t make a best cheese pizza in Memphis list without mentioning this downtown staple. Aldo’s is the whole package. Not only do they serve delicious New York-style pizza, but they have a great atmosphere regardless of who you’re with. I’ve eaten there with large groups + by myself + have enjoyed it every time. If you’re downtown, you gotta stop by!

Elemento

Located in Crosstown, Elemento Neopolitan Pizzeria is the newest place I tried, but it still made the best cheese pizza in Memphis list. While it may be the newest restaurant, its pizza is as old as it comes. Invented in Naples, Italy, Elemento goes back to the basics by using a few simple ingredients. As a bonus, the atmosphere is much nicer than most pizza places which tend to be a little divey. The pizza crust, sauce, and cheese were all perfectly seasoned. The person I dined with tried their Bianca pizza + it was also amazing!

Broadway Pizza

“Legendary” Broadway pizza has been a Memphis staple since 1977. Interestingly enough, the founder is not Italian like many of the other places on this list. She is actually Native American and comes from a large (read 16 siblings) family in Arkansas. Despite her lack of Italian heritage, her pizza is great! It’s got a good number of herbs on it which I like. Word of warning, the large is so ginormous they have to square-cut it.

Rock’n’Dough

While not technically in the Memphis city limits, Rock’n’Dough deserves a spot on the list. Their crust is a little thicker than many of the other places on the list which I like. They also give you a great amount of sauce! They also have the perfect number of herbs + seasoning – which is so important when you’re dealing with only cheese as a topping! Check out their other locations in Jackson + Nashville!

Fun fact, though, pizza actually hasn’t always been my favorite food. I gave it for Lent one year when I was in college + 40 days of deprivation later, I vowed to never let it go again. I certainly did not have an “I Forgot That You Existed” moment like so many people do.

Where is the best pizza where you live? Let me know over on Instagram!